Worthy
by Celino
Summary: Why did Loki return to Asgard to help Thor fight Hela? And why did we not get to see the brothers hug on the ship? This is how I think the scene could have gone. This started as a one-shot, but I think I might continue it.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Hi everybody! I'm sure I'm not the only one who waited with baited breath when Loki said 'I'm here,' and then felt cheated when we never saw the brothers hug. So, I've written how I think the scene could have gone. Hope you like it._

~..~..~..~..

"If you were here, I might actually give you a hug," Thor commented drily as he tossed a decanter top at his brother, fully expecting it to fall through an illusion.

But Loki caught the stopper in a swift movement of his hand, taking the thunder god by surprise.

"I'm here," Loki announced simply, a smile tugging at his mouth at the expression on his brother's face.

Thor regarded his brother carefully, as Loki stood, both wary of making the first move, and, for a moment, there was silence between the two brothers.

"I'm glad you came back, brother," Thor began softly. "What made you come to help us?"

"I almost didn't," Loki admitted. "You were gone. I was alone. And there was a ship and a crew before me, ready to leave and needing a leader." He let out a breath, his mouth stretching into an ironic smile. "It would have been easy."

"Yes," Thor agreed. "You could have gone anywhere you wanted," he took a slow step forward, offering Loki a glass. "So why did you come back to Asgard?"

Loki took a breath, accepting the glass before taking a gulp of the water as he gathered his nerve.

"Is Asgard not my home too?" Loki asked, placing the glass on a nearby table.

"Of course," Thor granted. "But I know there's more to it, than that."

Honesty wasn't really in Loki's nature, but he knew, that if he were ever going to get anything he truly wanted, he would have to start. At least, a little.

Taking another breath, Loki stepped forward, considering his words carefully.

"I wanted to be worthy of something," he answered slowly, keeping his eyes low.

A frown of confusion appeared on Thor's forehead.

"What?"

The ironic smile was once again on Loki's face as he continued to avoid his brother's eyes.

"I've told you before, I only ever wanted to be your equal, brother," Loki began. "You've always had the love and trust of the Asgardian people. Everyone always admires you, wherever you go- don't deny it," Loki cut off his brother before he could protest. "You're always bragging about how popular you are, even with the humans on Earth."

Thor stayed quiet, as he allowed his brother to continue.

"My magic," Loki resumed his explanation, "was the one thing I could always do better than you. So, I used my tricks to get what I wanted. And when I was impersonating Odin…" here, Loki appeared to reflect, laughing slightly. "At first, I thought I'd achieved my desire. People treated me with respect, they called me their king," Loki shook his head. "But it was all an illusion," he informed his brother. "They weren't giving their love and respect to _me_ , they were giving it to Odin."

Realisation dawned in Thor's eyes.

"So, that's why you had the plays, and the statues," he surmised.

"If I could not have the love of the people in life, I would have it in death," Loki admitted reluctantly. "I wanted them to believe I got one thing right, even if it turned out to be my biggest trick yet."

"And then I revealed you," Thor nodded.

"And I'm back on the 'hate' list," Loki chuckled humourlessly before becoming serious again.

"It would have been so easy to leave," he repeated quietly. "Surviving is, again, one of the few things that I am very good at."

"Agreed," Thor conceded.

"Though I have to admit," Loki granted, meeting his brother's eyes for the first time, taking a step closer. "That trick you pulled with that electrocution device was…rather impressive."

"I learn from the best," Thor grinned mirroring his brother's movement forward.

"I hate you for that," Loki goaded, his voice flat, but holding no real malice. "It really hurt."

"Call it payback," Thor countered easily. "Now, go on," he encouraged. "Why didn't you just take the ship and run?"

The younger brother sighed.

"Because, if I had," Loki swallowed, "then that would mean that I would be condemning you, and all of Asgard, to death at Hela's hands." The prince gave a cynical shrug. "What would my worth be, then?"

Thor took another step forward in concern for his brother, making him now almost close enough to touch.

"Hela's threat was far greater than me, than you, than anything we'd faced before," Loki continued. "And, for once in my life, I wanted to do something that was _more_ than myself. Something _right_. Something…" he swallowed, " _real_."

Loki nodded, thinking that was good word to describe what he needed to.

"I wanted to do something _real_ , instead of a trick, for a change," he said slowly, taking a final step forward.

"So, I came back, to help my people, to help you," he concluded, "because, I wanted to be _more_ than just… _me_. And," he added carefully, "I couldn't just leave you to die, brother."

Thor regarded Loki for a moment, before reaching out and pulling his little brother in for a hug.

The movement caught Loki by surprise, and as Thor felt him tense, he wondered if his brother would shake him off.

But slowly, cautiously, Thor felt his brother return the gesture and, for a moment, it felt as if everything was as it was before.

"It is good, to have you back, my brother," Thor said with affection as they broke apart. "We owe our lives to you."

"I'm still the God of Mischief," Loki reminded him flatly.

"Yes, Mischief," Thor granted. " _Mischief,_ Loki. Not evil. You play your tricks, but you know when it counts." He clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Think on it, brother," he put forward. "If you hadn't stolen the access codes from the Grandmaster, and then tried to betray me, I wouldn't have left you in the hanger for you then to encounter Korg, commandeer this ship and return to Asgard in time to save us."

Loki frowned, eying Thor suspiciously.

"What are you saying?" He asked.

"I'm saying," Thor began, "that while you'll always be you-"

"Let's hope so," Loki quirked a smile.

"Maybe, that doesn't have to be a bad thing," Thor finished slowly.

There was a stunned silence as Loki regarded his brother, before a knock at the door caused them both to look around.

Valkyrie stood nonchalantly at the door, leaning against the frame.

"Interrupting a brotherly moment, am I?" She queried.

"No," Thor and Loki answered in unison, shifting uncomfortably at the intrusion.

"Well then, in that case," Valkyrie smirked as she stepped inside the room to stand proudly in a salute, "I have come to collect Asgard's king for his coronation."

"Coronation?" Thor queried.

"We are all refugees," Valkyrie reminded the royal pair. "The people need to feel safe, that they will be taken care of."

"I don't think…" Thor began reluctantly

"The people need a king," Loki stated firmly, stepping to his brother's side. "They need to be reminded of who they are, in order to rebuild their lives. They need to believe that our culture is not lost, just because we've lost our home."

Thor turned to Loki.

"Why do you not accept the throne, brother?" He asked, for that short speech was more eloquent than anything he could have come up with. "You've ruled them peacefully for the past four years."

"In the guise of our father," Loki reminded his brother, shaking his head in the negative. "They would not accept me. But, they'd accept you. Besides," he added, "I never wanted the throne, anyway. Being a king is all about enforcing the rules, and I prefer-"

"Breaking them?" Valkyrie supplied.

" _Bending_ them," Loki amended pointedly, flashing a smile.

Valkyrie stood aside, gesturing to the door.

"This way, Your Majesty."

Glancing at his brother, Thor squared his shoulders, steeling himself, as Valkyrie led the way to the ship's bridge.

~..~..~..~..

Sitting quietly in the captain's chair after the simple ceremony had been completed, Thor studied the stars outside their ship.

He was now king of Asgard.

When he was younger, he'd dreamed of taking the throne in triumph, having his father proclaim him king, and hearing the people cheering his name. He'd yearned for the throne, then.

But, after the many trials he'd been through, Thor realised his dream had, indeed, been that of a child. The reality was now, he had every person on this ship, looking to him to ensure the survival of their people.

Thor let out a breath, feeling overwhelmed at the responsibility on his shoulders.

He was sure Earth would help them. He had helped defend the Earth more than once. Father himself, had said that the place they'd found him, Norway, was a good place to end his days.

Norway… Thor recalled the place where his father had died and wondered whether that would be a suitable area to rebuild their home.

The people would see it fitting, rebuilding in the place where their beloved Allfather had died.

Thor nodded to himself. He would see to it as soon as possible, once they'd reached Earth.

Loki, being the best pilot amongst them, had set the co-ordinates to Midgard, or Earth, before leaving Valkyrie and Heimdall at the helm, to join his brother, studying the stars.

Standing by his brother's makeshift throne, Loki felt strangely calm. He no longer envied Thor the power and responsibility he had, for Loki understood all too well, what the role of King truly entailed.

But, while things were much repaired, if not entirely forgiven, regarding himself and his brother, Loki felt there was a key aspect of this plan that he felt needed to be addressed.

"Do you think it wise, for us to go to Earth?" Loki asked, doing his best to keep his voice light.

"Yes, of course," Thor answered, turning to view his brother. "The humans will help us. They love me on Earth," he insisted. "I'm very popular."

Loki laughed.

'Some things never change,' he thought.

"Let me rephrase," he tried again. "Do you think it wise for _me_ to go to Earth?"

Thor stood up to fully face his brother, his expression understanding.

"I doubt they will accept me," Loki predicted, "after all I've done."

"They will accept you," Thor insisted, ever the optimist. "Just as I have."

~..~..~..~..

 _Author's note: So, what do you think?_

 _This is the third Thor one-shot I've done in about a week, and I still have other ideas for possible scenes and story-lines. I'm wondering whether I should keep this fic open, in case my ideas evolve into a full story._

 _I'm meant to be writing a Fantastic Beasts Fan fic though… however, while I'm having writer's block on one, there's no harm in starting another, right?_

 _I'd love to try writing a Loki focused story, perhaps giving him some form of redemption, while showing that he can still use his proclivity for mischief to fight the good fight, even if it's not apparent at first glance._

 _Or, I could just keep writing short drabbles, of the scenes and ideas that are in my head: Sigyn. The Enchantress. More Thor and Loki backstory and development, and how will the people of Earth react when Thor asks them to accept Loki and his people as refugees?_

 _I admit, I don't know much about the Thanos backstory/character to feel confident enough to write about him, though I may at least make several references- I think Loki went through a hell of a lot between the time he fell from the Bifrost in the first Thor movie to when we see him in the first Avengers movie…_

 _Let me know if you think I should keep writing._

 _Please leave a review._


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's note: Hello everybody! Been having a bit of writer's block with my FBAWTFT story, so thought I'd have a look at this one again._

 _While I know we finished 'Ragnarok' with seeing, most likely, Thanos' ship, I'm pretending that didn't happen in this story, as I am not familiar with the comics, and have seen so little of him in the movies, that I have no idea how to write Thanos at the moment._

 _So, while I'll try and keep this as cannon as I can, it will not be completely cannon._

~..~..~..~..

After months of travel, the Asgardians and their companions were finally approaching Earth.

It had been a very long trip.

Hulk had proven to be too difficult to keep comfortably in the confined spaces of the ship, and the only place big enough for him was the cargo hold. It was decided that Banner should return, now that Hulk was more a hindrance than a help, yet when Thor had tried the usual 'Lullaby,' Hulk had merely laughed, flinging the Asgardian king across the room and into a stack of storage crates.

"What were you doing?" Valkyrie had asked as she and Loki ran into the hold in time to see Thor picking himself off the floor.

"It was a form of conditioning training we did with Hulk and Banner, to ensure Hulk could turn back if we needed him to." Thor explained as the Hulk turned his back and began throwing the supply containers around the cargo hold like children's toys.

"Well, it doesn't seem to work, does it?" Valkyrie smiled, happy her green friend could stick around.

"Well, Natasha was really the only one who could do it." Thor admitted slowly.

"Oh, so he prefers a woman's touch," Loki surmised mockingly, "no wonder your approach isn't working, brother."

Thor grit his teeth in frustration.

"Well, seeing as Natasha isn't here," Thor put forward. "We have to find someone he will respond to. What about you, Valkyrie?" The new king of Asgard suggested. "You and Hulk are friends, and you like Banner too, right?"

"But I prefer the big guy," Valkyrie grinned. "And if he was going to change back because of me, he would have done it by now."

"I have an idea," Loki put forward.

"Please," Thor invited gratefully and Loki grinned.

"We get Agent Romanoff to do it," he stated simply and Thor frowned.

"But Natasha's not here," Thor reminded his brother flatly.

"She doesn't have to be," Loki said. "Didn't Banner change back on Sakaar after seeing a recording of her?"

Seeing where Loki was coming from, Thor nodded in understanding.

"So, what do you have in mind?" He asked.

Closing his eyes, Loki concentrated, and, in a flash of green light, he took on the appearance of Natasha Romanoff.

Thor couldn't help but laugh.

"Brother, you look ravishing," Thor couldn't resist having a dig as Valkyrie nodded in agreement, too shocked at the trick to comment.

Loki/Natasha gave a look of irritation.

"Would you rather be Agent Romanoff?" Loki asked mildly, making a gesture.

Valkyrie's laughter rang out and Thor looked at himself to realise Loki had now cast the glamour over him.

"No," Thor answered quickly, raising his hands in surrender. "You are the better actor, Loki."

"Thank you," Loki answered, removing the glamour spell from his brother and placing it over himself once again. "Let's hope it works," he mused as he began walking forward.

"Hey, Big Guy," the image of Natasha Romanoff called out, and Thor had to commend his brother's illusions for the voice sounded exactly like that of the former S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent.

Hulk turned as he recognised the voice, his expression turning from petulant to amazement.

"The sun's getting real low," Natasha's illusion gave the lullaby code.

Hulk's face became pained as he began clutching his head.

"Banner," he moaned.

"I need you to come back," Natasha's illusion continued.

Hulk clutched his head as he raged, trying to keep anger his only emotion, but soon, his body began to shrink and within moments, Bruce banner was once again amongst them, staring at the illusion of Natasha in amazement as she faded in a flash of green light, revealing Loki's true form.

"The things love can reveal in us," Loki mused, and Banner may had thought the God of Mischief might have been taking a dig, had it not been for the seriousness of his expression.

"That was mean," Banner muttered as he realised what they'd done.

"I'm sorry to have to do that, Banner," Thor said as he helped his friend regain his feet. "But Hulk is not exactly 'travel friendly'.

"No, I understand," Banner answered slowly, clutching his clothes to him. "What happened? Did we win?" He asked. "And what's he doing here?" Banner pointed an accusing finger at Loki.

"No, we didn't win," Thor answered. "We are refugees. We're traveling to Earth, where, I'm hoping, we will be able to start again. And Loki-"

"I saved everybody," the God of Mischief stated casually.

"Yeah, right," Banner commented.

"No, it's true," Thor backed up his brother. "It is thanks to Loki that we have this ship and were able to evacuate our people from Asgard before it was destroyed."

"Asgard's destroyed?" Banner echoed in shock. "Oh, guys," Banner cast his eyes over his friends. "I'm so sorry. That was your home."

"But our people have survived," Thor repeated.

"Thanks to me," Loki interjected, not wanting Thor to claim credit as he usually did.

"Thanks to all of us," Thor gestured to Valkyrie and Banner, to ensure his brother's vanity didn't get in the way, again. "And so, we can rebuild. Valkyrie," Thor invited. "Can you find Banner some new clothes, and food? Then we need to get him caught up."

"Sure thing, sire," Valkyrie grinned, gesturing for Banner to follow her. "This way, little guy."

It had taken a while, but within a few weeks, the people on the ship had settled into something of a routine.

There had been many issues throughout their travels through space, not least of which was their rations, and more than once, pirates and thieves had attempted to board, plunder, or even enslave them on their journey, but they always managed to better their attackers. If the attacking ship was better equipped, Loki would easily sneak aboard while Thor distracted the captain via a communication link, steal their access codes and commandeer the enemy ship, leaving the pirates their old one. Often, the pirates would try to retaliate, but once Thor and Valkyrie stepped in, the three of them would work together to subdue their enemy.

And while Thor didn't always approve of Loki's methods, as it meant they were beginning to become pirates themselves, the fact that his people now had access to a supply of proper food and water, not to mention clothing and a bed, meant the citizens of Asgard were in much higher spirits and looking forward to seeing their new home.

For which Thor was grateful.

Though, being in a confined space, even a large one, still meant there had been issues, and there had been many disagreements amongst the civilians, that Thor often had to solve. It was a real practice of his diplomacy, and more often than not, it was actually Loki who settled the arguments.

Thor even realised his brother had a special affinity with the children on the ship, and, more than once, he would enter a room to find that Loki had used his magic to make it appear as if it were a sports ground for the children to play games on.

However, now they were finally approaching their destination, Thor felt it would be best to let Earth know they were coming, so that they would have time to prepare.

Which meant that Loki and Banner had been working together to establish a method of communication with Earth from their ship.

Thor smirked. It had taken a little while for Banner and Loki to agree to work together, as both were adamant they didn't need the other.

But as adept as Loki was as utilising alien technologies, Banner had the knowledge of Earth frequencies and contacts that they needed, to ensure their communications reached the right people.

And now, finally, they felt they had a way to talk with Earth.

"Are we ready yet?" Thor asked from the captain's chair of the chip.

"Almost," Banner answered as he double checked the frequencies.

"Now, please," Loki spoke up slowly, "tell me we're not contacting Fury."

"To be honest, I have no idea if this will even get through to anyone," Banner answered distractedly. He had familiarised himself with the technology on the ship, Loki and Heimdall filling in the gaps of his knowledge, but still… "We are working with alien technology, trying to contact a planet that isn't anywhere near this advanced."

"I thought that was why we were using a variety of signals, and putting out the message multiple times," Thor commented. His knowledge of the technology was extremely limited, but he still wanted to at least try and keep up with the gist of it. He could never understand how Loki adapted to the differing weapons and computer systems of each civilisation they encountered so easily.

"It is," Loki nodded. "So, let's just hope that the message doesn't reach someone who wants to kill me."

"Loki, last time you were on Earth, you tried to start an interdimensional war," Banner reminded him. "I'm sure there are many governments on Earth who would want to kill you."

"But we won't allow it," Thor added quickly in support of his brother. "I'll make sure to tell the part you played in our salvation, so they know you are under my protection, Loki."

"Still," Banner spoke up in warning, "they'll probably try to shoot him when he steps off the ship."

"Your human weapons have little effect on me," Loki reminded Banner casually.

"And I am sworn to protect the royal family," Valkyrie stood up. "If they want him, they'll have to go through me."

"And me," Heimdall seconded, smiling at the look of surprise on Loki's face.

"Your actions to save our people, Prince Loki," the gate keeper explained, "has indeed endeared you more in the eyes of Asgard. And to me. I will protect you, and the King, if needed."

Loki continued to eye Heimdall suspiciously, before breaking into his classic smile.

"Thank you both, I'm touched," he said, placing a hand on his heart. Though his smile made it unclear whether he was sincere, or just trying to make light of the situation.

"How about," Thor spoke up, "we just try to send our message, and deal with the response as it comes?"

"We're nearly ready," Banner spoke up.

"Have you got a speech prepared?" Loki asked as he approached his brother's chair.

"Sort of," Thor admitted. He'd never been one for speech making, and, once again, he realised that his brother's skill at negotiation was actually more useful than he'd previously given credit for.

Loki sighed, reading the look on his brother's face accurately.

"Here you go," Loki handed him a small screen, and Thor looked down to see that Loki had actually typed up a speech for him.

"This is," Thor stated slowly as he read through, "rather good, brother."

"I tried to keep it in your style: simple and to the point," Loki smiled. "Can't have you sounding too articulate, otherwise they'd know you hadn't thought of it yourself. Feel free to improvise, if you wish, though," he added.

"Could we maybe have this up by the camera, so it doesn't look like I'm reading something?" Thor asked, his nerves starting to get the better of him.

Smiling, Loki used his magic to make a projection of the words in the air, out of sight of the camera, but still where Thor could read them clearly.

"Perfect," The new king sighed in relief.

"Alright," Banner nodded as he made a couple of final adjustments. "We are ready to record."

Passing the controls over to Heimdall, Banner joined Valkyrie and Loki, as they flanked Thor's makeshift throne.

Thor had insisted his team be present during his address, as it would help reinforce his message to the people of Earth.

"Hit it, Heimdall," Banner instructed, and the gatekeeper pressed a button, causing the console to light up.

"Are we recording?" Thor asked after a moment.

"Yes sire," Heimdal answered. "You may speak, now."

Thor cleared his throat.

"I am Thor Odinson, God of Thunder, a member of the Avengers, and now, King of Asgard," Thor began. "And I am sending this message to my allies on Earth: We are in desperate need of your help."

~..~..~..~..

Tony Stark was at the Avengers compound, working on his latest suit.

After the news that Steve Rogers had breached The Raft prison and freed his allies, the search had been out for them. A search that, admittedly, Tony was only doing half as thoroughly as he could.

He could see where Rogers was coming from. He and his team had done what they felt was right, just as Tony himself had.

The image of Wanda sitting motionlessly in a straitjacket and shock collar still sent chills down his spine, though.

Tony had promised she wouldn't get locked up like that.

But Tony was still considered a civilian man, and it was the freaking _United Nations_ that had authorised the imprisonment of Rogers' team.

Still, while Tony may not have the authority when it came to the law, he often provided the tools, toys and information the government required to enforce it, so, he could still influence things in his own way.

Like giving his old friends a chance to hide. Life in exile at least meant they were free.

And that was better than nothing, right?

"Sir, an urgent call from Secretary Ross," the intercom toned.

"Put him through," Tony invited, pushing the link button.

"Stark, we have a problem," Ross began.

"Please hold," Stark instructed.

"No, don't-"

Tony allowed himself a smirk as he watched the light blink.

He may have to accommodate the U.S. Secretary of State, but that didn't mean he couldn't mess with him a little.

Once Tony felt enough time had passed to really irritate the man, he pushed the button again.

"Thank you for holding," he invited breezily. "What's your problem?"

"Right now, it's you," Ross's voice was barely contained anger. "But the world has a bigger problem on its way."

"Oh, really?" Tony asked, his curiosity piqued. "And what's that?"

"Our sources have received communications from…outside Earth," Ross informed him.

That got Tony's attention.

"What kind?" He asked, sitting up straighter as he began ordering FRIDAY to get to work.

"It's kinda scrambled," Ross admitted. "Our computers can't figure it out."

"Send it to me," Stark ordered. "I'll sort it."

"Make this a priority, Stark," Ross gave his own order. "We need to figure this out. Find if it's a threat, and how to eliminate it."

"Always so negative, Mr Secretary," Tony quipped as he worked, noting FRIDAY was already downloading the information sent to him by the United Nations, sorting through the interference.

"I want your report as soon as you find anything," Ross ordered.

"Let me think about that," Tony intoned distractedly.

"Update me in twenty-four hours," Ross pressed.

"Call you next week, maybe," Stark answered, hanging up and focusing all his attention on what FRIDAY was showing him.

"What do we have here?" Tony asked curiously. "Looks like E.T is trying to give us a call."

~..~..~..~..

It took Tony a few hours to sort through it all, but eventually, FRIDAY announced that the communication signal was ready to be received on a frequency they would be able to accept.

"Put it up," Tony announced, high on his success at deciphering the transmission.

As an image appeared on the screen FRIDAY displayed, however, Tony felt his jaw drop.

"Oh, my god," he whispered. "FRIDAY, wait," he ordered quickly before pressing the intercom.

"All Avengers, please come to my office," he invited.

Almost immediately, Vision materialised in the room.

"Mr Stark," the android greeted before spying the screen.

"Thor," he observed.

"Yep," Tony nodded as Rhodes carefully entered the room, followed quickly by Peter Parker, there on a 'scholarship programme' organised by Stark.

With T'Challa needing to run his own country of Wakanda, and Natasha Romanoff still MIA, the four of them were really the only Avengers who remained at the compound, Rogers and his group still living in hiding after their prison escape.

"Whoa," Peter Parker began to gush as he spied the screen, reaching for his phone automatically. "Is that really Thor?"

"Yes," Vision nodded. "And Dr Banner."

"I'd wondered where he'd been," Tony mused. "Don't know who the girl is," he added, studying the woman dressed in blue and white, "but that is definitely-"

"Loki," Vision nodded, bringing a hand up to touch the stone embedded in his forehead pensively.

"What the hell is he doing there?" Tony asked through gritted teeth.

"Play the recording, Tony," Rhodes invited, trying to keep his friend calm. "And maybe we'll find out."

Tony took a breath, for he had a feeling that, whatever Thor wanted to say, it wouldn't be good.

"Go ahead, FRIDAY," Tony invited.

The image came into sharper focus on Thor's face, and Tony suddenly realised the God now only sported one eye.

"Look, he's copying Fury," Tony gestured to the screen. "The eye patch must be 'in' this season."

"Listen," Vision spoke firmly.

" _Are we recording?" Thor asked._

" _Yes sire," a deep voice answered off screen. "You may speak, now."_

 _Thor cleared his throat._

" _I am Thor Odinson, God of Thunder, a member of the Avengers, and now, King of Asgard," he began. "And I am sending this message to my allies on Earth: We are in desperate need of your help."_

"Oh, boy," Tony muttered, not liking the sound of that.

" _Asgard has been destroyed, completely," Thor explained gravely. "Hela, the Goddess of Death, attacked our home, and was too powerful for us alone. We have lost many of our brave warriors, whose spirits now reside in the Halls of Valhalla. It was only thanks to Prince Loki," Thor gestured to his brother, "who appropriated a ship, that we were able to evacuate the last of our people in time. And it was only thanks to the brave actions of myself, Prince Loki, Valkyrie, the head of our Royal Guard, and Dr Banner as Hulk, that we were able to hold Hela and her army at bay, long enough for our people to escape. But to defeat Hela, to save our people, we were forced to destroy our home."_

 _Thor took a long breath._

" _We are now refugees," The Asgardian King announced sombrely. "Homeless. Adrift, in the sea of space."_

" _People of Earth, I have fought for you, to protect you, many times in the past," Thor pleaded to the camera. "I send this message to you, in the hope that our alliance is still strong. We hope that we can rebuild Asgard, our culture, on Earth. My father, Odin Allfather, even spent his last days in Norway." Thor smiled sadly, lowering his eyes in remembrance. "Perhaps we could rebuild there," he put forward before raising his gaze back to the camera._

" _Our people have no quarrel with Earth," Thor continued. "And all of us," here, he made a pointed glance at Loki, who tried not to smirk, "come in peace to your planet. And while we may have lost much of our technology in the attack on our home, we still have our knowledge and experience to offer. We are willing to share our knowledge and skills with you," he bargained, "if you can offer us what we need to rebuild our civilisation."_

 _Thor raised his chin proudly._

" _Our home may be destroyed, but Asgard is not a place, it is a people," he continued. "We are currently on our way to Earth, and I hope this message reaches you before we arrive."_

 _The God of Thunder stared directly at the camera._

" _I hope that, when we arrive on Earth, we can all find acceptance," Thor finished, once more glancing at his brother, who kept his eyes low._

" _We'll be arriving soon."_

 _Thor nodded to someone off camera, and the video disappeared._

There was silence in the room as each person absorbed what they'd just seen.

"Whoa," Peter was the first to speak. "Thor's coming here?"

"I wish they would have told us when they would be arriving," Rhodes spoke up. "They could be here next month, next week, or tomorrow."

"They need our help," Vision focused on the key message. "We must prepare for their arrival. They'll most likely have people who require medical attention, and they'll have few provisions with them."

"We need to get the word out, to as many people as possible" Stark agreed. "We'll need medical teams, temporary housing, food, clothing…" He sighed. "We'll need a lot."

"Get back in contact with Ross," Rhodes suggested. "He can organise-"

"A detention camp?" Stark asked. "Quarantine? Where they'll stay until everyone's been screened or dissected to make sure they're 'not a threat'? They put Wanda in a strait jacket and shock collar," he reminded his friend. "What would a guy like Ross do if they had Thor?"

"And what about Loki?" Rhodes pressed. "Is he 'not a threat'?"

"I don't believe he is," Vision spoke up, catching the men by surprise.

"Pray, tell us: what the hell makes you say that?" Tony asked flatly. "That guy ripped a hole in the sky and sent in an alien army from another world that practically levelled New York."

"Yes, with the tesseract," Vision nodded. "And he also used this," the android touched the gem on his head once again. "I'm still learning about it myself. But I believe that I'm tapping into its…memory. And I don't believe what happened in New York was quite as it appeared to be."

"So, what," Tony asked. "Loki was under mind control, just like Selvik and Barton?"

If that were the case, he mused, that puts a whole new spin on things.

"Yes, I believe so," Vision stated. "At least, in part…I have only accessed some of the information from the gem. I may need to meet Loki himself to get the whole story. But," he continued, "I believe, in any case, we would be much better utilising Loki as an ally, not an enemy."

"So, what do we do?" Stark asked the room. "If we tell someone like Ross, they'll just put everyone in that floating prison of his and tie them up in straitjackets until they do what he tells them to do. And if we don't," Tony hung his head. "If we don't, then we end up having another situation like with the Accords."

"So, we tell everyone," Peter grinned in triumph. "We let the whole world know, not just the government. Hey," the teenager said defensively, "Ross may have told you to keep him updated, but does that mean we can't let the world know, too?"

"No," Tony granted. "I suppose not." He had been ordered to make this message a priority, not keep it a secret.

"The arrival of the Asgardians will affect everyone on Earth," Vision nodded.

"And if we let everyone know," Peter continued, warming up to his idea, "the government can't just slam a lid on it. You can't put the cat back in the bag. Then the people can decide for themselves, and we can get everyone talking, instead of just having the suits telling us what to do and believe."

Stark thought for a moment. The kid may just be onto something…

"FRIDAY," Tony called. "I need to organise a press release as soon as possible. I want it streaming on every computer and television screen across the globe."

"Certainly, Mr Stark."

Peter Parker, meanwhile, was typing on his phone.

"And this video is going straight to Youtube," he muttered.

Grinning, he pressed the 'upload' button.

~..~..~..~..

 _Author's note:_

 _So, what do you think?_

 _I admit, my knowledge of the Marvel Universe is limited, so I apologise for any errors in my writing-I came into the fandom relatively late. In regards to Thanos, I know very little about the infinity stones, and so I may not include him at all in this story, unless it's a flash back scene- as I think Loki has already met him ("He who put the sceptre in your hand"- quote from Avengers)._

 _I can actually see the Asgardians becoming space-pirates, of sorts, on their journey to Earth. They left with little more than the clothes on their backs, with a ship that was commandeered, and likely not equipped to accommodate as many as a whole civilisation._

 _Being the 'man of words' he is, I can actually see Loki being better at the diplomacy and daily running of the ship than Thor._

 _And, being the God of mischief, I can imagine him being a favourite of the children, using his magic to entertain, pull pranks around the ship, or maybe even teaching them magic himself, to pass the time._

 _Being pushed for resources, I can imagine Loki being only to eager to steal from any other ships that attempted to rob them throughout their journey, Thor likely only reluctantly agreeing, due to the fact his people need provisions._

 _I think Stark would be in two minds about the Asgardians coming to Earth._

 _Vision, being on the side of Life, would try to assist them, I know._

 _And Peter, I figured would be doing what many kids would do in that situation: video it on his phone and post it online._

 _As he said: you can't put the cat back in the bag._

 _Now the question will be: How will the world react when they realise the Asgardians are coming?_

 _And how will the government react when they realise they can't hide it?_

 _I'm looking forward to writing the Asgardians' arrival._

 _Please leave a review._


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's note: Hi everybody! Thank you so much for the reads, follows, favourites and reviews! It very inspiring and gratifying, knowing that you guys like my story so far, thank you so much!_

~..~..~..~..

"We're approaching Earth, Sire," Heimdall announced. "We should be in its orbit within a few hours."

"Finally," Thor sighed in relief as he sat in the captain's chair, pressing a button.

"Attention to all aboard the ship," he announced, his voice reverberating through the corridors over the intercom. "We are approaching our destination. Gather what possessions you have, and be ready to leave in a few hours. Our journey is nearly over."

Cheers could be heard echoing through the ship and Thor allowed himself a smile.

"We still don't know if anyone heard our message," Banner reminded Thor gently. "No one on Earth has the technology yet to contact us."

"Well, if they didn't know we were coming before," Thor granted. "They will know soon enough."

~..~..~..~..~

Stark's press release had gone viral across the world. FRIDAY had translated it into every language on her data base, and so, within a matter of hours of Thor's message reaching Earth, practically the entire world knew that the Asgardians were on their way, in the mind of rebuilding their culture.

Peter's video of the first recording reached one billion views in less than twenty-four hours.

Peter grinned as he scrolled through the latest comments.

Most were generally favourable:

" _Cool! Real life Gods coming to Earth. Or, should I say…_ _ **back**_ _to Earth? These guys are the Norse Gods of Myth, right?"_

" _Did Vision say Loki was under mind-control when he attacked New York? Does that mean he's a good guy now?"_

" _Good on Stark for getting the word out. The government would totally try to cover this up so they can keep the Asgardian knowledge for themselves."_

Others showed more sympathy:

" _OMG, has Thor lost an eye!?"_

" _Oh, those poor people. Imagine losing your_ _ **entire planet**_ _!"_

" _May the souls of the fallen warriors of Asgard have their songs sung forever in the Halls of Valhalla."_

Other comments, of course, were just random.

" _Thor is so hot!"_

" _I dunno… did you get a proper look at his brother? Who doesn't like a bad boy?"_

" _If they're going to share their knowledge, does that mean we can all get magic hammers?"_

" _Hey, I've just noticed: where is Thor's hammer?"_

" _Why did Thor cut his hair? It looked better long."_

While others were more negative:

" _We barely have enough resources for the humans and animals already on this planet! How can we take on an entire civilisation of immortals?"_

" _This Goddess of Death… is she actually dead? For all we know, she could follow them to Earth and destroy_ _ **our**_ _planet next!"_

" _Sorry Gods, you can't stay here. We have enough problems on our own planet as it is."_

Peter sighed. Well, they at least had the world talking. Stark had got in big trouble with the United Nations for 'inciting a panic' but, from what Peter could see online, the majority of people weren't actually panicking:

" _I work for the Peace Corp. If you can let us know when they arrive, we can be there with food and clothing for them."_

" _I own a summer camp that can hold over one hundred people. It's the off season now, so it's empty. I can house some of the Asgardians, if needed."_

" _They said they want to rebuild in Norway? I own 500 acres of land they can have to start rebuilding, if Thor wants it!"_

An alert popped up on Peter's phone and he clicked it, to see a video from Tony.

" _Alright everyone time to roll out the welcome mat_ ," Tony announced to the camera.

" _It's been over three weeks since we got Thor's message, and I can tell you all now, officially, that Thor and his ship have been picked up in our orbit. The Asgardians are above this little blue planet right now, and I will be sending out my Iron Squadron to lead them in."_

Here, Tony turned the camera to show row upon row of his Iron Peacekeeping Squad outside the compound, already beginning to take to the skies.

" _Now, the government wanted me to update them as soon as I found out, well, this is how I'm updating them. But I think the rest of the world needs to know as well. Because the Asgardian arrival will affect everyone on this Earth, their influence will have an effect on our entire planet, and how we react to their arrival will determine our entire planet's future. And," Tony shrugged, "I think everyone deserves to have a say on that, not just the paper pushers in the penthouse offices with the fancy suits and doomsday buttons."_

" _Now," Tony continued to the camera, "I know what you're all thinking: where on Earth will they land? Well," he grinned. "I know Thor said he wanted to go to Norway, but I don't have any jurisdiction there right now. So, where to go?' He mused._

" _Well, that's for me to know. That's right: I'm not telling. I figured: these guys have had a long trip and have been through a lot. So, I don't think they'll want to face anything like a military force, it might scare the homeless Asgardian kids."_

 _He grinned._

" _But don't worry, I'll be streaming it all live, so you can watch it online as I see it. Stark out."_

"Oh, my god," Peter gasped as the screen went black, and for a moment, he was frozen on the spot.

His phone then rang, making him jump.

"Hello?" He answered shakily.

"Did you see the video I just put up?" Stark asked.

"Yes!" Peter cheered. "This is really happening!"

"Yes, it is, kid. Suit up," Stark ordered. "We're going to Puerto Antiguo, New Mexico."

~..~..~..~..

Thor gazed out the window of the bridge, looking down at the blue planet that was to, hopefully, become their new home. He knew, all of the people aboard the ship were also gazing out of the windows, hoping that the hard times were over and they could begin to piece together a new life for themselves.

Thor sighed. He really hoped that would be the case. But he knew, humans could be as unpredictable as his brother at times.

"So, that's Earth, huh?" Korg asked as the large soft-spoken rock-creature entered the bridge. "Looks more like it should be called 'Water'."

"Yeah, Earth is roughly eighty percent water," Banner informed him as he joined them, staring out pensively. "It feels so weird, seeing it like this: Just a blue ball, spinning through space."

"Well, it's not just blue," Korg pointed out helpfully. "Look, there's white, and green and brown-"

"Have you thought to find a place to actually land the ship, Thor?" Valkyrie interrupted from the helm.

"Can you see anything on Earth, Heimdall?" Thor asked the former gate keeper. "Did they receive our message?"

"My eyes are not as good as they were on Asgard," Heimdall granted as he came to stand beside his king to study the planet below.

"But, yes," he nodded. "They are aware of our arrival."

"Wow, you can see that far?" Korg asked in amazement. "Wait, does that mean you're farsighted? Or are your eyes just like super telescopes?"

"I can see that the humans have very mixed opinions of our arrival on their planet," Heimdall observed. "Some are favourable, others think that which destroyed our homeland will follow us to Earth."

"I can understand their concern," Thor granted. "But we have nowhere else to go."

"What's the bet they'll try to kill me the moment we land?" Loki asked lightly.

"The odds are rather high, I expect, my Prince," Heimdall admitted.

"So," Korg turned to Heimdall again. "Can you see things close up? Or do you need special glasses for that?"

Heimdall chose to ignore the rock-creature.

"Your friend, the inventor, has just announced our arrival to the world," Heimdall reported. "His government is not happy with the information being made so publicly."

"Yeah, I bet," Banner mused, wondering what kind of welcoming party awaited them when they landed.

"You can see Stark?" Thor inquired hopefully.

"Yes," Heimdall smiled. "He's sending us an escort to lead us to a landing site."

"Oh, excellent," Thor sighed in relief. Truth be told, he wasn't quite sure how they would find a place to land.

"Valkyrie, Loki," Thor ordered. "You both need to be ready to land this ship when Stark's escort arrives."

~..~..~..~..

Stark was unsurprised to see a crowd starting to gather in Puerto Antiguo not long after he arrived. He guessed there were hackers who had got into the government files and followed the government's movements, who were following his movements, after he'd posted his announcement. Landing in the desert, he'd quickly sent the last members of his Iron Squadron to set up a perimeter, to ensure the ship actually had space to land in.

Within minutes, of course, people had recognised his squadron and were approaching quickly.

"Okay people, I'm glad your excited," Tony spoke over the loud speakers as Peter used his webs to make something of a cordon around the designated landing site, "but the ship can't land if you're all crowded on the runway, so can you please: stay behind the spider web."

Soon, the government had arrived and Secretary Ross was marching across the barren land, looking livid.

"Get these civilians out of here," he ordered a group of military personnel as they jumped out of a helicopter nearby. "Stark!"

Tony strode forward to meet the Secretary, retracting his helmet as he did so, to reveal his face.

"We've got your back, Tony," Rhodes spoke from where he was inside Stark's jet, keeping an eye on things, including the live-stream video FRIDAY was already streaming.

"Try to be diplomatic," Vision advised quietly.

"I'm always diplomatic," Tony insisted.

"Stark," Secretary Ross demanded angrily as he gestured to the crowds amassing around the perimeter. "What were you thinking, publicising this information?"

"I was thinking: this will affect everyone, so everyone should know." Tony answered lightly.

"You're putting people at risk," Ross insisted.

"I didn't tell them to come," Tony countered. "And look:" he gestured to where gazebos had been set up, ready with boxes of bottled water, clothing and other items, waiting to be distributed, "people aren't panicking, they're trying to help. You see, in my experience, Secretary Ross, while the human race is not perfect, we often try to do the best with what we've got. So, while I understand your concern-"

"You are allowing an alien race to come to Earth, without _any_ conditions-"

"They're refugees," Tony interrupted. "And it's not like we have the technology to communicate with them en route. They need help. How would we want them to act if our situations were reversed?"

Secretary Ross gritted his teeth.

"And Loki?" He demanded. "How can we be sure he's not going to go on another killing spree?"

"We don't," Tony granted after a pause. "But, as he apparently helped to save his people, I can only assume that he's, if not an ally, then at least not an enemy. But I'll be sure to ask once they've landed."

Ross stood, fuming, and Tony could swear he could hear the man's teeth grinding together.

"You are such a-"

"Uh-uh, careful," Tony interrupted, raising a finger in warning. "This is streaming live Secretary Ross, and you know some viewers may be under eighteen."

Secretary Ross put a hand on his hip and Tony caught the glimpse of a holster.

"I have the military getting these civilians out of here," Ross announced. "I will allow you to make first contact, as you are more familiar with Thor than I am, but if anything suspicious happens, I'm ordering my men to fire."

"At little homeless immortal children?" Stark asked.

"Stark," Vision spoke up, getting the pair's attention. "I believe they're here."

Tony looked up to see what appeared to be a fireball falling from the sky.

"They're just coming through the atmosphere," Rhodes announced from the ship.

"There's our cue," Tony nodded to Vision and the pair took off.

~..~..~..~..

"Wow, this place looks dead," Valkyrie commented, staring at the desert that lay before them.

"Not all of Earth is like this," Thor assured her as they followed the inventer's flying robots below the clouds. "I suppose Stark just needed to make sure we were not landing the ship too close to people."

"Look, there," Banner grinned as he pointed, and Thor could just glimpse a mass of people and machinery in the distance, surrounding a large, open area of bare desert.

"I guess that's where they want us to land," Thor smiled. "Loki, take us down."

"Now, is that a welcoming party or an army, ready to attack the moment we land?" Loki mused as he lined up the ship.

"Both," Heimdall answered. "As I said, the people of Earth have had mixed reactions upon hearing we were coming."

"You know, maybe I should fly us in," Valkyrie spoke up, stepping toward Loki and the console. "I'm the better pilot."

"No, you're not. Your speciality I crash landings, as I recall. I've got this," Loki assured the woman pointedly. "Trust me, for once."

"Hey, there's Tony," Banner cheered as he spotted the Iron Man suit flying towards them to coast beside the main window escorting them in.

Stark waved, and the crew aboard the bridge waved back.

"Who's that?" Loki asked, spying a second person flying on the other side of the ship. Without an iron man suit.

"Oh, that's Vision," Thor informed his brother helpfully. "He's new, I never got a chance to tell you about him. It's a long story," he admitted, "but don't worry, I'll introduce you once we land."

Carefully, Loki slowed down the ship as they arrived closer to the site, and gently, they landed on the desert plain with a soft bump.

"Nice landing," Valkyrie granted reluctantly.

"Told you to trust me," Loki reminded her as he powered everything down.

"Alright, everyone, we're here," Thor cheered as he stood up from the captain's chair. "Time to make a good impression."

"Let me guess: I'm to stay aboard until you give the 'all clear'?" Loki assumed.

"No," Thor corrected, surprising his brother. "You, me and Valkyrie are going out first. Banner and Heimdall will stay aboard the ship until we give the 'all clear.'"

"Wait, why are we the ones staying back?" Banner asked.

"Because if it starts to go wrong, Heimdall will be able to see and ensure the people can get away safely in the ship," Thor answered. "And, if it does start going wrong, I'm sorry Banner, but I feel the Hulk would just make things worse."

"Hey, I can handle gun shots," Banner countered defensively. "But, yeah," he granted after a moment, "you've got a point."

"We need to make a good impression, Bruce," Loki clapped the scientist on the shoulder. "Best you stay here."

"You know that means you can't kill anyone, Loki," Bruce countered.

"He makes a point, brother," Thor eyed Loki carefully. "We need you on your best behaviour."

"Hey," Loki grinned, raising his hands placatingly. "I'm nothing if not diplomatic. As long as I'm treated with respect, I will reciprocate."

Thor made a non-comital sound and moved to the exit as Heimdall opened the doors.

~..~..~..~..

Stark, Vision and Ross stood out in the open, with guns being trained on the doors of the ship as it lowered. Peter perched on top of Stark's jet as instructed, wishing he had his phone.

"This is so cool," he whispered.

~..~..~..~..

As Thor, Valkyrie and Loki made their way down the ship's ramp to walk out onto the desert plain, Thor felt a sense of Nostalgia.

"This was the first place on Earth I visited," he told Valkyrie fondly. "I wonder if that was why Stark chose this place?"

Suddenly, a gunshot rang through the warm air and Loki jerked in surprise as the bullet hit him square in the chest, followed by five more.

"What was that?" Valkyrie asked curiously, looking around, having never heard a human gun in her life.

"Stop!" Thor commanded before turning to Loki. "Are you alright, brother?"

Loki looked down at himself in a moment of bewilderment before bursting out laughing.

"Oh, it's good to be back on Earth," he chuckled before gazing out at the military who were currently standing in shock.

"Did you seriously just try to shoot me?" Loki called out to the gunmen incredulously. "I haven't even _done_ anything yet!"

"They didn't _try_ , brother," Thor pointed out slowly, "they actually _did_ shoot you."

"I didn't see any plasma," Valkyrie was confused.

"Oh, they don't use plasma guns," Loki informed her. Reaching out a hand, Loki used magic to call one of the guns straight into his hand and showed it to Valkyrie.

"These are human guns," he explained as he disassembled it. "And they shoot these metal pellets called bullets."

"Wow, they're so tiny," Valkyrie observed, picking up a bullet curiously. "These can't do much damage."

"No, not to us," Loki explained, "however, they are quite effective on humans."

Reloading the gun, Valkyrie thought to test it and shot Loki in the chest at point blank range.

"Hey!" Loki objected, rubbing his chest in annoyance. "What was that for?"

"Fun," Valkyrie grinned.

Loki disarmed the woman in a single swift movement, shooting her in the chest in retaliation.

"Ow!" Valkyrie felt it was her turn to object.

"Pay back," Loki commented blithely.

"Both of you, enough!" Thor tried to put an end to the childish behaviour.

"He started it," Valkyrie pointed at Loki.

"You started it!" Loki argued.

"I don't care who started it, I'm finishing it," Thor had had enough. "This isn't helping!"

"They started it," Valkyrie and Loki both pointed to the human military personnel in unison.

Thor sighed before striding off, leading the way to where Stark, Vision and Secretary Ross stood, waiting to meet them.

"What is the meaning of this?" Thor asked. "We come to you for aid and you attack my brother without provocation?"

"The last time he was here, he went on a killing spree," Ross said derisively. "I think that's provocation enough."

"Thor, this is Secretary Ross, representing the United Nations, here on Earth," Tony introduced. "Basically, his job is to try to tell the world what to do on behalf of the world's biggest leaders."

"Loki has faced Asgardian Justice for his crimes against your planet, and has redeemed himself by saving our people from extinction," Thor informed the human man. "He is now here under my protection and is still a Prince of Asgard. You _will_ treat him accordingly."

"Brother, I'm touched," Loki said smiling, as he and Valkyrie caught up.

"Stark," Thor greeted his friends, "Vision. May I introduce Valkyrie, the last of the Royal guard," he gestured to the woman by his side. "Valkyrie, this is Tony Stark, a famous inventor here on Earth."

"Looks like you have fun toys," Valkyrie grinned, studying the metal suit he wore.

"Thanks," Tony granted. "Mind if I take a look at that ship of yours, later, Thor?"

"Be my guest," Thor granted.

"By the way, Thor, where's your famous hammer?" Stark asked. "I almost didn't recognise you without it."

"Hela, the Goddess of Death, destroyed it," Thor stated sombrely. "Shattered it like a piece of glass."

"Tough break," Stark said after a pause.

"Yeah, it's still pretty fresh," Thor granted. "I generate the lightning through my whole body now, so, that's pretty cool, at least."

Loki felt his blood run cold as he spotted the stone embedded in Vision's forehead.

"Is that what I think it is?" Loki queried as he pointed.

"Oh, yes, Loki," Thor remembered, "this is Vision."

"That's the Mind Stone," Loki stated fearfully.

"Yes," Thor granted, "Vision is an artificial intelligence created by the sceptre you brought with you on your last trip."

"You remember your last trip, right?" Stark goaded. "You tried to destroy the world?"

"Keep that thing away from me," Loki backed up fearfully. "I've had enough of my mind being twisted."

"Calm yourself, brother," Thor reached out to grab his brother's shoulder in concern, realising there was indeed more to what happened in New York than previously thought. "Vision is our ally."

"As are you, God of Mischief and Magic," Vision stepped forward himself, studying Loki carefully as the God avoided his eyes.

"Pain," Vision whispered in realisation and Loki flinched as if he'd been struck.

"You've been put through much pain because of this stone," Vision raised a hand to touch the stone in his forehead pensively. "I'm so sorry."

"You mean: you really were under mind control when you came to Earth last time?" Stark queried.

"You all forgave Barton, Selvik and all the others for their crimes due to them being under mind control," Loki stated. "What made you think that thing," Loki pointed to the gem in Vision's head, "was having any less influence over me?"

"Uh," Stark considered. "You're a God?"

"That is an _Infinity Stone_ ," Loki reminded his companions, unaware that Stark was streaming everything live. "Made from one of the essential powers that are the energy sources of Creation itself. Do you think power like that could not influence even a God?"

Everyone stood dumbstruck.

"That is not a power to simply be played with."

"You did," Stark countered defensively.

"Well, I my choices of action were rather limited at the time." Loki shot back.

"Why did you never say anything, brother?" Thor asked.

"As I recall, you placed a muzzle on me, so I couldn't talk, and I was sent to prison with no trial," Loki reminded his brother. "Would you have believed me anyway?" He pressed.

"No," Loki stated, seeing the answer his brother's eyes. "You just needed someone to blame and I was the appropriate scapegoat."

Vision turned to face Stark and Secretary Ross.

"I sense there is a larger game here than we first thought," he spoke up, turning back to study Loki, who, again, avoided eye contact. "Loki is a key player, and I believe it would be better for everyone if we allow him to remain free. He is not our enemy, unless we make him one."

"So, who's the real enemy?" Secretary Ross demanded.

Loki looked up to see all eyes were on him.

"Someone I hope to never meet again. But, now is not the time for a story," he stated slowly, gesturing to the public gathered on the outskirts, who were carrying signs that said everything from 'Welcome Asgardians,' to 'Find another planet to invade.'

"We have families aboard the ship who need food and shelter," Loki reminded them all.

"Yes, you're right," Thor agreed, though determined to get the truth from his brother in the near future.

"Now, as you are not American Citizens-" Ros began.

"We're not even Earth Citizens," Valkyrie stated.

"You will all have to be detained until we can figure out if you are not a threat to our society," Ross finished.

"We've already agreed to share our knowledge with you," Thor reminded the Secretary of State. "And I will fulfil my promise. However, my immediate priority now, is to ensure my people can have a warm bed and a roof over their head tonight."

"And we have those at our secure facility-" Ross began.

"Whose security?" Valkyrie queried. "Ours or yours?"

"Now hang on a minute," Ross began defensively. "You bring alien technology, alien weaponry and alien races to our planet and expect us to not take precautions to protect ourselves?"

"Now, calm down," Loki stepped forward with a smile. "There's no need to fight. Perhaps we can come to an agreement?"

"Surely our priority should be helping the refugees aboard the ship?" Vision stated.

"How many people do you have on that ship, Thor?" Tony asked.

"Not many," Thor admitted. "Less than eight hundred."

"Eight hundred?" Stark echoed. "From your entire civilisation?"

"Hela's rage was…relentless," Thor admitted slowly.

"You all can come to the compound," Stark announced. "I promise, you will all be treated respectfully and have your own space."

"Now, wait just a minute Stark," Ross turned to the inventor angrily. "You have no authorisation-"

"Secretary Ross put a woman in a straightjacket and shock collar, and locked her up in a floating prison, just because she had magic powers," Stark gestured to Ross.

"You've got something against magic, Secretary Ross?" Loki smiled in a way that sent a shiver up and down the man's spine.

"She was a threat to our society," Ross stated, doing his best to show he wasn't intimidated.

"You mean: she wouldn't do what you wanted her to do?" Loki countered.

"We seek no quarrel with your people," Thor interjected, sending a warning glance at his brother. "Arguing here is pointless. My people simply want to rebuild their lives."

"And wherever you decide to do that will have a great effect on the world," Ross countered.

"Oh, I see," Loki grinned in realisation. "You don't want Asgardian knowledge to go to anyone but your own country and its supporters. How petty," he chuckled.

"We're refugees," Thor reminded him. "But I mean to share our knowledge will _all_ the people of Earth, not just those who want to keep it for themselves. I will not have my people taken advantage of to suit your own selfish needs."

"And what about Stark?" Ross countered. "How is he not being selfish here?"

"Hey, I'm just offering to put up the Asgardians until they get back on their feet," Stark argued good-naturedly. "It's what friends do. We are friends, right?"

"Yes, Stark, we are," Thor nodded. "Thank you."

"Oh, and some people from the Peace Corp brought food, water and clothing, for you all," Stark pointed over to the gazebos, and the staff began to wave, seeing the Asgardian King's gaze focused on them.

"Very kind," Thor smiled. "We'll get their supplies on board and them follow you to the compound."

"And so: we have an agreement, between friends," Stark concluded.

"Oh, no, we have no agreement," Ross stated angrily.

"I'm sorry you don't get to lock anyone up, Mr Secretary," Stark told him patronisingly. "But I promise to do a press release when the Asgardian people are settled and Thor is ready to do a show and tell."

"No one is going anywhere unless we get the insurance we need to make sure our society isn't under threat," the man ordered.

"What will you agree to?" Thor asked warily, though Loki thought he already knew the answer.

"Him," Ross pointed to the God of Mischief, confirming his suspicions.

"Out of the question," Thor stated.

"Secretary Ross," Vision interjected carefully, "If I may advise-"

"No, you may not," Ross stated glaring at the android. "If I could, I'd lock you up as well."

"If you want Prince Loki, you'll have to go through me," Valkyrie drew her sword.

"I'll do it," Loki spoke up, to everyone's surprise.

"What?" Thor and Valkyrie queried in unison, turning to the Prince in confusion.

"I'll do it," Loki repeated. "I am a Prince of Asgard, our people are what matter. And if ensuring they can get the provisions, shelter and safety they require means that I have to go with Secretary Ross, then, so be it." He turned to the man in question.

"Do we have an agreement now, Secretary Ross?" He asked, extending a hand.

Slowly, Ross reached out and grasped it.

"Agreed," Ross asked. For really, Loki was considered the biggest threat, so if he could ensure he was locked away, he could sleep a little better at night.

"Excellent," Loki smiled. "I'll just load the provisions onto the ship, and then we can all be on our way."

Grinning, he disappeared in a flash of green light, reappearing before the gazebos stocked with various boxes.

Various yelps of "Oh, my god," rippled amongst the startled people gathered and Loki couldn't help but chuckle.

"Greetings, everyone," Loki gave his most charming smile, as he could see the media cameras out of the corner of his eye. "So kind of you, to be here in support of my people. We are indebted to your generosity."

"Oh, well, we're happy to help," a woman standing nearby stammered. "We don't have much, but we have food, water and clothing to share."

"It is enough to help us settle here and start again," Loki spoke graciously. "Thank you, dear Lady, to you and your team, for the aid you have given the citizens of Asgard."

Placing his hands on the piles of boxes staked around him, Loki closed his eyes, and everything disappeared in a flash of green light.

Landing in the cargo hold of the ship, Loki stayed long enough for a couple of people to enter the hold, no doubt on Heimdall's word, before he disappeared again to go back for the rest.

Again and again, Loki transported the supplies to their ship, until the last pile of boxes was aboard.

Studying the inventory, Heimdall turned to his prince in concern.

"This will last us less than a week," he stated.

"Then let us hope we can negotiate a more permanent arrangement within that time," Loki mused.

"I was surprised to hear you offer yourself up, Loki," Heimdall commented. "Have you had a change of heart?"

"My heart has nothing to do with it," Loki insisted. "I'm just trying to find out anything I can use." He turned to the former gatekeeper with a smile. "They won't hold me for long."

"I have no doubt of that," Heimdall nodded. "And for once, I'm glad."

Chuckling again, Loki vanished in a flash of green to reappear once again in front of Stark, Vision and Ross.

"All the provisions are aboard the ship, brother," Loki reported with a grin, for they'd used this trick often to steal from pirate ships during their travel to Earth.

"Thank you, Loki," Thor smiled, clapping his brother on the shoulder before turning to Valkyrie. "Make sure the ship is ready to leave soon," he ordered. "We'll follow Stark to the Avengers compound and get the people settled there for now."

"Yes, Sire," Valkyrie grinned before turning to Loki.

"See you soon," she told him, punching him gently on the shoulder. "Enjoy your time in the Earth prison, Loki."

"Oh, I intend to," he assured her with a grin as she walked back to the ship before glancing over at Secretary Ross. "We're going to have such fun."

"I'm so looking forward to wiping that grin off your face," Secretary Ross gestured to some soldiers nearby who took hold of Loki roughly and handcuffed his hands behind his back.

"There's really no need for this," Loki assured them, smiling as he calmly broke the handcuffs and dropped the pieces on the hard ground in front of him. "I'll come quietly."

Ross made another gesture and soon, a group of soldiers had surrounded Loki, guns pointed at his chest.

"Oh, come on," Loki appealed. "I'm cooperating. And you saw what happened when you shot me before, didn't you?"

"Uh, Loki, I think the guns are just so _they_ feel safer," Thor called out to his brother helpfully.

"Oh, right, of course," Loki nodded his understanding. "Well, then, after you, Secretary Ross."

"Thanks for taking one for the team, brother," Thor called out with a wave.

"You know me," Loki shot back, "willing to lay down for a greater cause."

"He's going to get out in five minutes, isn't he?" Stark asked Thor once they were out of ear shot.

"Loki will get out, the moment he gets what he wants," Thor clarified.

"Which is?" Stark prompted.

"No idea yet," Thor admitted. "But, Loki has always been able to turn situations to his advantage. "He is the God of Mischief and Magic, after all. So if, by giving himself up, he can ensure that our people are safe from maltreatment-"

"He'll turn his time in prison into, what, an infiltration mission?" Stark guessed.

"Depends on what he discovers," Thor grinned. "And, speaking of my people," Thor turned back to Stark. "I believe we need to leave?"

"Follow me, Your Majesty," Stark said. "Actually," he reconsidered, "can I come in your ship? I'd love to see it. And you owe me a story about how you lost your eye."

"Of course," Thor nodded. "You are welcome aboard as well, Vision."

"Thank you," the android nodded graciously.

"Rhodes, take the jet back to the compound, we'll follow you," Stark instructed.

"Uh, Mr Stark?" Peter spoke up for the first time. He'd been itching to speak up, but hadn't felt right interrupting a conversation involving the Norse Royalty and the Secretary of the United Nations.

"Who's this?" Thor asked, spying the figure in the red and blue suit for the first time.

"Hi Thor, I'm Spiderman," Peter felt it better to use his superhero name, as he knew they were still being streamed live. "It's a great honour to meet you, Your Majesty. I'm a huge fan of yours."

"Uh, thank you," Thor replied slowly.

"Get back in the jet, kid," Stark instructed. "We'll do the meet and greet back at the compound."

"Aw, can't I ride in the spaceship too?" Peter asked.

"No," Stark told him. "But I promise, you can have a look at it at the compound."

"Right," Peter nodded, still wanting to actually ride in the spaceship, but not wanting to argue with his benefactor. "Rhodes and I will see you at the compound."

"Spiderman?" Thor muttered to Stark as they walked toward the ship.

"He'll grow into the name," Stark defended his protégé.

"Welcome aboard," Heimdall greeted his king's companions as the ship's door closed behind them.

"Hi there," Stark greeted as he retracted his helmet, revealing his face.

"Tony Stark, Vision, may I introduce Heimdall, the former gatekeeper of Asgard," Thor introduced.

"So, what, you're like a godly doorman?" Stark commented automatically, though immediately regretted it as Heimdall turned those strange glittering eyes onto him.

"Heimdall can see and hear all," Thor impressed on Stark. "He is a loyal friend and a mighty warrior, and it was he who ensured the civilians were kept hidden from Hela when she began her attack on Asgard."

"Sorry," Stark mumbled, causing the Guardian to smirk.

"It's alright," Heimdall granted. "I'm seen enough of your interactions to know you often give insults as a form of humour."

"Oh, yeah, that's me," Tony nodded before catching sight of Banner.

"Bruce?"

"Hey Tony," the doctor grinned as Tony stepped out of his suit to greet his friend. "Did you miss me?"

"Where have you been?" Tony asked. "We all thought you were dead."

"No, just got lost for a while." Bruce assured him. "It's a long story."

"Natasha was worried sick," Tony told him getting his attention.

"How is she?" Bruce asked. "Where is she? I didn't see her down there, or Steve, or-"

"Long story," Tony interjected.

"Well, looks like we'll have many stories to tell tonight," Thor granted. "But first, Valkyrie," he ordered. "Take us up. Time to get our people started on their new life here."

"Yes Sire," Valkyrie nodded, sitting herself at the helm.

~..~..~..~..

Loki sat in the helicopter, completely at ease as he tried to hide his amusement at the fearful looks on the faces of the soldiers around him.

"So, where are we going, Secretary Ross?" He asked.

"The most secure prison on this planet," Ross informed him gladly.

"Do you really think your human prison can hold one such as me?" Loki asked.

"You'll be surprised," Ross jabbed before giving a cold smile of his own. "I'm looking forward to getting information from you."

"If there's something you'd like to know, you only need to ask," Loki told him.

"Oh, but you're the god of lies, aren't you?" Ross queried.

"Tricks," Loki clarified.

"Same difference," Ross stated flatly. "So how can I be sure that anything you say to me will be true?"

"And what makes you think that torturing me will encourage me to tell the truth?" Loki countered, knowing exactly where this was leading. "Causing pain doesn't exactly endear someone to helping your cause."

"And you would know all about that, wouldn't you?" Ross leaned forward. "You, who murdered needlessly last time you were here."

"I believe I've already said I was not in full control of my own mind at the time," Loki reminded the man.

"And how do we know that's not a lie, too?" Ross countered.

Loki studied the man before him before breaking into another smile.

"If there is nothing I can say that you will believe, unless you want to," Loki amended, "why then, even bother to interrogate me, if you have already drawn your own conclusions?"

"Because while you may have paid for your crimes on Asgard, you have yet to face the justice of Earth," Ross ground out.

"Justice, is it?" Loki raised his eyebrows. "And, where is the justice in being punished twice for the same crime? This sounds more like vengeance to me. What would your leaders say?"

"That's the beauty of where we're going," Ross smiled back. "Our leaders don't even know this place exists."

"Why is that?" Loki asked, but figured he knew the answer. He just needed to keep Ross talking, to get information.

"Plausible deniability," Ross answered simply.

"I see," Loki smiled in understanding, having just been given his first piece of leverage due to the man's desire to gloat. "You don't want your leaders to know you're breaking your own Laws?"

"We have Human Rights Laws in place, of course, but then," Ross considered, "you're not human, are you?"

Loki leaned forward to meet Secretary Ross' eyes.

"Oh no," he whispered, a smile once more appearing on his lips. "I am so much more than that."

~..~..~..~..

 _Author's note: So, what do you think?_

 _I admit, I've always been a bit irked at Loki's portrayal in the movies, at times. I'm not familiar with what he's like in the comic books, but in the myths, he's a very powerful magician, capable of performing all kinds of different forms of magic. Yet in the movies, they only seem to have Loki using glamour magic, even though we have seen and heard of other forms of magic in the Marvel universe._

 _So why don't they get Loki to show off his powers more often? He has been referred to as a 'Master of Magic' since the first Thor movie, and while I can understand Loki enjoying using his glamour to do tricks, I'm sure there are a lot of other things he can do after what must be well over a thousand years of training._

 _So, I wanted to have Loki show off a bit in this chapter and had planned to do other things, like have him turn Secretary Ross into a mouse, but thought I shouldn't over do it- though I'd love to write it in a future chapter._

 _But, I really wanted to show that Loki was still up for mischief and betrayal, as always, he's just changing his motivations. He's reconnected with his brother, and while I think they still have a way to go, I think Loki does want a chance to prove himself a bit._

 _And I love the idea of Loki showing off his powers so that Secretary Ross, and the rest of the world know that the only way they can lock him up is if he allows it._

 _And I love the idea of Loki agreeing to it, not just so that he can ensure his people can be treated well, but to have the opportunity to teach Ross a lesson, after hearing about how he treated Wanda. I imagine Loki, having been likely bullied a fair bit as a child for his own skills in magic, would feel strongly about anyone else being treated badly because of it._

 _This, I think, could cause a connection between Loki and Wanda in the future. I don't think there'll be anything romantic, but just an understanding between two people who are often getting mistrusted and maltreated because they're different. I can even see Loki offering to teach Wanda more about her magic._

 _As for Thor and Valkyrie's reactions, I can imagine they would realise the only reason Loki would voluntarily be taken prisoner is because there's something he wants to get. And they would also know that he will likely get whatever he's after, and know full well that a human prison couldn't hold him._

 _So, for the Asgardians, it would just be: 'see you when you're done, Loki.'_

 _After all, Loki agreed to_ _ **go**_ _with Secretary Ross, he didn't agree to_ _ **stay**_ _, did he?_

 _But, Secretary Ross, being the powerful man that he is, I believe would think that he's the one who has the upper hand, and genuinely think he is doing the right thing by taking Loki away. I don't know much about him, but the impression I got was that he felt that all power should be under control, preferably the control of his government._

 _And powerful enforcement agencies being what they are, I would not be surprised if there's a secret military prison somewhere who specialises in torturing information out of people._

 _Don't worry, I'm not planning on going into detail, or having Loki go through more than he chooses. I like Loki too much, and besides, I think he's suffered enough._

 _Because, I swear, he must have gone through a great deal after he fell from the Bifrost bridge, but I think I've said that already, along with many others._

 _I could go on, but I think I've said enough now, so I'll leave it here. I really want this to be a Loki/Thor centred fic, so those are the characters I will focus on._

 _Please review!_


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